As the tourist season approaches, Sri Lankan authorities are stepping up efforts to strengthen infrastructure and streamline travel procedures for visitors.
A special task force appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened for the second time on October 14 at the Presidential Secretariat to review progress on a series of measures aimed at boosting the country’s tourism sector.
“The government has launched several initiatives aimed at improving facilities and services for tourists ahead of the upcoming tourist season,” the Presidential Media Division (PMD) said in a statement.
Simplifying visa and ETA procedures for travel to Sri Lanka
One of the main topics discussed was the “facilitation of visa issuance” and the “streamlining of the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) process”, which became mandatory for all foreign visitors prior to departure as of yesterday.
The government aims to make these procedures faster and more user-friendly through better coordination among the relevant departments.
Discussions also focused on reducing airport queues, a recurring issue during peak travel periods. The task force proposed increasing the number of airport counters to improve passenger flow upon arrival.
At the same time, the government plans to modernize online ticketing systems for the country’s major tourist attractions. The goal is to simplify transactions, ease on-site congestion, and allow travelers to plan their visits more efficiently.
According to data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the country welcomed 1,788,235 international visitors since the beginning of 2025. India remains by far the leading source market with 393,591 visitors, followed by the United Kingdom (166,767) and Russia (125,035). Germany (110,792) and China (107,007) round out the top five. Next are France (89,825), Australia (80,334), the Netherlands (53,645), the United States (49,732), and Bangladesh (48,053), a reflection of the diverse global profile of Sri Lanka’s tourism base.
